Here in the Kansas City area, we tend to think of those children who need pre-kindergarten -- schooling for three and four year olds -- as those who appear to be behind in the developmental skills s/he will need for school. In the Shawnee Mission District here in Overland Park, it is called Smart Start. But the Sunday New York Times (12/18/11) has a write-up of how popular pre-K is in New York City -- to the point that middle class and wealthy parents are scrambling for a spot in the strong programs.
And the spots aren't there. Some parents are forming their own pre-K groups but, given the politics of running a program for one's children, parents are finding the task harder than expected. I don't know if this is the trend of the future or just an East Coast experience; I'll be interested to wait and watch.
